Journal article
Phenological tracking associated with increased salmon consumption by brown bears
Scientific reports, Vol.8(1), pp.11008-9
07/20/2018
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/104822
PMCID: PMC6054687
PMID: 30030526
Abstract
There is growing interest in the ecological significance of phenological diversity, particularly in how spatially variable resource phenologies (i.e. resource waves) prolong foraging opportunities for mobile consumers. While there is accumulating evidence of consumers moving across landscapes to surf resource waves, there is little data quantifying how phenological tracking influences resource consumption due to the challenge of documenting all the components of this ecological phenomenon (i.e., phenological variation, consumer movement, resource consumption, and consumer fitness). We examined the space use of GPS collared female brown bears to quantify the exploitation of a salmon resource wave by individual bears. We then estimated salmon consumption levels in the same individuals using stable isotope and mercury analyses of hair. We found strong positive relationships between time spent on salmon streams and percent salmon in assimilated diets (R
= 0.70) and salmon mass consumed (R
= 0.49). Salmon abundance varied 2.5-fold between study years, yet accounting for salmon abundance did not improve salmon consumption models. Resource abundance generally is viewed as the key variable controlling consumption levels and food web dynamics. However, our results suggest that in intact watersheds of coastal Alaska with abundant salmon runs, interannual variation in salmon abundance likely has less effect on salmon consumption than individual variation in bear foraging behavior. The results complement previous work to demonstrate the importance of phenological variation on bear foraging behavior and fitness.
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Details
- Title
- Phenological tracking associated with increased salmon consumption by brown bears
- Creators
- William W Deacy - Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA. will.deacy@gmail.comJoy A Erlenbach - School of the Environment, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USAWilliam B Leacock - Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak, AK, USAJack A Stanford - Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USACharles T Robbins - School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USAJonathan B Armstrong - Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
- Publication Details
- Scientific reports, Vol.8(1), pp.11008-9
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAHNRS)
- Publisher
- England
- Identifiers
- 99900546636101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article